Hemostatic agents
There are various means that can be used to stimulate and support the natural hemostasis of the body. On the one hand there are chemical agents such as potassium alum, and on the other hand there are plant-based preparations such as a powder made from the flowers of the yarrow. In the case of minor injuries, these preparations can certainly lead to faster blood clotting.
Nevertheless, they are not necessary and are less effective than the simplest measures to support hemostasis, which can always and usually be used without any aids: The squeezing of the bleeding source for a few minutes. The body usually manages to stop the bleeding even during this time. The various hemostatic agents should in any case only be used for small bleedings, which the body can quickly stop even without their use.
They should not be used for heavier bleeding, compression is the absolute priority. If necessary, an additional presentation to the doctor is necessary. There are special powders for special applications of hemostasis.
They usually contain a compound of calcium and biological components that promote natural blood coagulation. One area of application, for example, is bleeding in the oral cavity after dental surgery. There are also haemostatic powders that can be used as part of emergency care in the military.
For domestic use, haemostatic powders have no significance. A pen for stopping bleeding is usually a product containing potassium alum as the active ingredient. The area of application is small superficial skin injuries, such as those that can occur when shaving.
The potassium alum causes the blood vessels to constrict, thus stopping bleeding more quickly. An unpleasant side-effect is that the application burns and possibly hurts. The application on superficial wounds is possible without hesitation.
However, the bleeding can also simply be squeezed firmly with a clean cloth for two minutes. This is usually sufficient to stop the bleeding. Blood-stopping cotton wool usually consists of calcium alginate fibres, which are obtained from algae.
This cotton wool can be used to support blood coagulation in the case of small superficial bleedings as well as nosebleeds. To do this, a small amount of the cotton wool is removed from the bottle with clean tweezers and applied directly at the site of the bleeding. Care must be taken to ensure that in some preparations there is still a pink-coloured protective cotton wool at one end, which must be removed before insertion.
The actual haemostatic cotton wool is undyed. Its fibres promote the natural processes of blood clotting and do not have to be removed again as they dissolve and are broken down by the body. Since no side effects are known, haemostatic cotton wool can be used without any concerns. However, it should not be the only measure but an additional impression of the source of bleeding (or the nostril in the case of Nsen bleeding) should always be made.
